When you’re tasked with the utmost demanding job of producing high quality secure passports, drivers’ licenses and identity documents on a variety of substrates for customers in Canada and throughout the world, you seek the finest, high tech equipment in the industry. That was the goal of Canadian Bank Note, a well-respected 120-year-old privately-owned firm based in Ottawa. In December 2016, CBN turned to KBA to deliver a uniquely built multimillion-dollar Rapida 106 41-inch 12-color press for its main manufacturing facility to produce secure identity documents.

“Ever since we purchased our first KBA Rapida 12-color press in 2003, we have felt that KBA presses are innovative and well-designed,” says Sean Pentland, Senior Director of Pre Press and Print Development, of Canadian Bank Note. “We extensively reviewed and tested all of the lead press manufacturers and KBA came out ahead of them all. KBA understands our unique needs including our high level of security and quality and supports our mandates. We continue to choose KBA due to its deep level of knowledge and reputation in these areas.”

KBA has supplied CBN with KBA Rapida presses to its manufacturing facilities in Ottawa. These capital expenditure investments, says CBN, were based on the positive productivity generated by the KBA fleet of presses and the strong partnership forged by the two firms over more than a decade.

Lauded for its print production

CBN has remained one of the leading producers of secure identity products. With demands from governments looking to create secure documents from counterfeiting, terrorist threats, and theft, it uses its KBA equipment to provide the intricate secure solutions for its customers.

But in June 2016, CBN lost the use of one of its KBA Rapida presses due to a devastating blaze at its main print facility. The fire damaged the firm’s 10-year-old KBA press that produced passports and other identity documents. A second brand-new KBA printing press had just been put into production but the older damaged press had to be replaced as soon as possible

KBA jumped into action to help its partner. KBA provided a used press immediately and a new Rapida 106 12-colour press was delivered in record time.

Unwavering support

“I can’t emphasize enough about the high level of support we received from the entire global KBA group after the fire,” says Pentland. “Whether it was parts, service, sales, technical assistance or accelerating the build of our new machine by many months, (during a very busy time for KBA), KBA’s provided unwavering support seven days a week as our operations were recovering after the fire. To that end, KBA did absolutely everything they could to ensure that we were back in production as soon as possible after the fire.”